


If You Need Help

by GlassSolomon



Category: Metalocalypse
Genre: College AU (( Abigail in college )), F/M, Homeless!Toki, Pre-Dethklok, Slight Time gap towards the end, Slight post Doomstar mentions at the end
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-21
Updated: 2014-04-21
Packaged: 2018-01-20 08:06:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1503050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GlassSolomon/pseuds/GlassSolomon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Abigail is in the prime of her college career when she's selected to be a part of the psyche department's annual research and survey experimentation period. While being in charge of handing out a survey one little homeless Toki Wartooth wanders in, having found a flyer that advertised free food for taking place in the surveys.  One time isn't much of an issue, but what happens when Toki wanders in to Abigail's section every day?</p>
            </blockquote>





	If You Need Help

**In the grand scheme of things Abigail was the perfect candidate.**

So very close to the degree with three internships under her belt (one paid), Abigail sported a fat and impressive resume with three reference papers ready to be shipped out to wherever the hell she’d want. Abigail’s grade’s were pronounced satisfactory on top of the impressive foundation she’d prided in building, in the scheme of it all she’d simply taken school seriously that was that. Abigail was clever and she knew how to adapt, on top of it all she was attractive- she knew how to fly through interviews with pearly smiles and the perfected amount of well— _Abigail._

Yes, Abigail was indeed found perfectly equipped to assist the university’s psychiatry research and survey team in conducting the annual grouping of surveys and experiments for that term ( To be later collected and used within other psychologist/social-science branches. ) Not only that but her major was fed well with the extra credit that the research assisting would earn her. 

In other words, Abigail would  be in charge of all sorts of boring and mundane trivialities, ones that would involve boring and mundane questions with boring and mundane people- _not at all unlike the real world._

It was dull work, but it was another building block for her resume. Plus it was paid. 

To what Abigail understood, the surveys were typically taken by participants either in solitude or in small groups that would be clustered in a few rooms spread out over the first floor. It all depended on the nature of the experiments. For the next two weeks this floor was to be reserved as a research haven.

The psyche department offered food and drinks as rewards for some of the surveys on a first come first serve basis (Especially the longer more taxing ones ) some of the experiments even _involved_ eating- how else were they supposed to draw in the largely young adult college crowd?

“They’re going to come in and sit down here, right? Then before the survey begins you have to give them this paper-“ The mousy looking team director placed a stack of papers directly in front of Abigail.” -“Make sure you ask about the allergies and disabilities— etc, as long as you make sure they know what’s going on and get their signed consent you’re good to go, it’s really not that hard I’ve been doing this for a long time.” The woman seems impatient despite the calmness of her words and with a wave of her hand she was on her way; leaving Abigail to get ready.

Abigail wet her lips as she straightened the stack of papers, she’d brought her own pen and preferred it over anything else, setting it beside her. There was always a right way to do things, a routine and Abigail loved a healthy amount of control in whatever she could use it in. It was a Monday afternoon, and she wouldn’t have class until later that evening- there was nothing better for her to be doing then sitting on her ass, and at least this way could sit on her ass and earn some credits. 

When she'd organized everything and read over the research sheets, knowing exactly what sorts of questions she'd be asking, the clock ticked and it was time to begin. ` 

“Hello, come on in.” Abigail smiled as the first student shuffled in. Fifteen minutes early for her appointment, Abigail was a fan of this girl.

Through what they had collected from their online recourse; there were about seven people she was to meet, all with different appointment times. Whenever a guest left she then offered then pick of whatever it was they wanted from the stash of food she’d been left with. Abigail had made sure to nab herself a capri-sum before beginning- just in case they ran out.

 After three appointments had been knocked out of the way and one of the guests had skipped their appointment ( This was to be expected from university students ), Abigail had already begun to grow less and less interested in the work.

 What once had been a chipper. “And What is your name? How old are you? Any allergies?” From her part became bland atonal answers. _“Name..? Age..? Got any Allergies…?”_

  _~ ~_

By the time the fourth guest shuffled their way into the room, Abigail hadn’t even looked up from her desk, “Please take a seat in the chair provided, there is a pencil and a paper in front of you.”

 Thick and awkward silence filled the air from the guests part before it broke with a soft scuttle, the sound of a chair scooting in and out as the form took their seat in the chair. 

Abigail took her cue and read the pre-determined response “Thank you for taking part in this survey, before we begin I am going to read off a list of questions, you may follow along on the paper provided, simply check yes or no when it’s required to do so; there are a few short answer questions on the other side.”

 _Silence._  

Still looking down at her paper, Abigail began her questioning. “Please write your name down on the line provided.” Pause “Your age.” Pause “Now, please check any allergies you have on the column provided.” She continued on with her work ,but after a while the guests silence drew a curious gaze from her part and immediately she stopped. 

A young boy sat before her, he was young, he couldn’t have been any older than eighteen, but that was the least of the peculiar-ness she noted about the boy in front of her. This boy was without a doubt homeless, this could be inferred from the fact that he had dirty ashen cheeks and on his head was matted unwashed and unkept hair tucked beneath a strange almost foreign looking hat. The boy’s shirt was stained and around the seams of his armpits were sweat stains. Abigail could see a hole in his pants just at the knee where it jetted out beneath the desk, he had mokasin-like shoes with a hole in the left ones.This boy was homeless and Abigail had no idea what to do.

“Oh, I’m sorry- hum.” Abigail paused, not wanting to offend the boy. “Did you make an appointment?” Her brow narrowed.

The boy’s lips parted and he looked as though he didn’t quite understand for a moments before he repeated. “Oh! Appointments-“ The boy dug around inhis pocket for a little while before smiling and whipping out a flyer. 

 Abigail begrudgingly took it from the boy’s hands, it was stained with some unknown food article and it had more than likely been fished out of a trash-can. Though, sure enough it was a flyer for the survey and research week. 

“I didn’ts knows you hads to makes an appointkments-“ Foreign, Abigail reasoned immediately from the peculiar way he spoke. “Saids you guys hads some foods-“ The boy looked down to the desk as though suddenly afraid he’d be told to leave. 

Abigail closed her eyes and sighed. This was a young homeless man who probably didn’t  even have any ties in this _country_ , he was thin and probably starving- there was no way Abigail was going to turn him away now.

“Alright.” Abigail murmured with a slight professional sternness. “It’s alright, data is data after all- I’m sure we could use a bit of a variance in our findings anyway-“ The young boy didn’t seem to be completely following, but at least it was understood that he could stay.

Abigail peaked over her nose at the paper in front of him and chuckled softly once she realized the boy hadn’t been writing anything on the paper. “ Do you know how to write..?” Her words were still a bit authoritative, but she tried not to sound angry with the young man. 

The young man’s brow folded with frustration as he shook his head. “Sorries- I don’t understand-“ 

Abigail shook her head and waved a hand as well almost as though to say 'no worries'. Even if it was a little bit of an inconvenience it was a break in the routine and Abigail wasn’t about to let another human being suffer if she was able to do anything about it. 

“Here.” Abigail reached over and took the other’s paper. “I’ll do it for you- just tell me the answers.” 

 The young man nodded.

“Alright, so what is your name?” 

“Toki Wartooth.” 

Abigail’s nose scrunched as she wrote down the other’s name, hoping it was translated well enough in English. 

“Thanks you so much for doings this.” Toki’s words rose up shakily before Abigail could begin the second question. Abigail looked up to see the most sincerely beautiful little smile she’d ever seen, through the harshness of the mud on his features and the clothes which could hardly offer any comfort he was still smiling and he was still thankful- Abigail would not find it difficult to help this young man.

“Don’t mention it.”

The rest of the survey dragged on rather slowly, but luckily for them another student didn’t show up for his appointment; Toki coming was actually a wonderful little addition to the data. Whenever a question came that Toki couldn’t have possibly answered she simply made something up- and it became rather fun, like a game to her. By the time the survey was over Abigail’s mood had been lifted ten-fold and the young Toki Wartooth seemed to have been done good with the small act of kindness.

“Feel free to grab anything you want- a few people missed their appointments today so theres a lot of extra food.” Abigail’s brow folded as she watched the young man dart over to the small pile. Toki filled his pockets with a few protein bars, and he’d already peeled and eaten a banana as he balanced a few water-bottles under his arms.

 “Thanks yous!” Toki waved as he walked towards the door.

Abigail smiled back, but the smile soon fell as she watched him leave. This young man probably didn’t have anything, he didn’t even have clean clothes to wear- and he was so hungry that he’d somehow managed to wedge his way into a college psych survey group that offered simple nutrition bars as a reward. Abigail wondered where Toki was going to sleep that night, she wondered if Toki would survive long in this world. 

Immediately Abigail felt a sense of dread grow as like a brick had settled itself in her stomach, she regretted not asking the boy- not doing more.

 

* * *

 

 **The day had ended with two other students and a boring and typical outcome for each of them.** By the time Abigail had finished with classes and woken up early in the morning to begin the testing process all over again she’d almost put thoughts of the young Toki behind her. It had grown to become yet another hopeless happening in a world doomed to be full of countless other hopeless happenings. Abigail certainly hadn’t expected to see the boy again-

So when the third person stepped into the room to fill out the survey that afternoon, Abigail was indeed surprised by who she saw.

“Come on in.” She'd murmured before looking up, her mouth dropping wide open. 

 For a moment Abigail entertained the saying _‘This is not what I signed up for.’_ How true it was, in fact there wasn’t an instance that the saying had ever applied more Abigail than it did right now. 

“Toki.” Abigail drew on with an exhalation of breath, seeing the young man step in through the doors with the biggest and equally goofiest smile she’d ever seen. “You’re back, sweetheart.” She gave a small exhausted smile and ran a hand through the fluff of curls on top of her head, it would have been a lie for her to say that she was disappointed to see him  . “But, Toki-“ She continued just as Toki neared the seat. “You already filed out this survey yesterday,” Abigail watched as the news sunk in, visibly turning Toki’s smile down.

This just wouldn’t do. Abigail sighed, thinking on. Momentarily Abigail thought about what might happen if she passed the young homeless boy on to another survey taker to complete a whole new one, but she reasoned that was far too tricky. Perhaps not everyone in the department would take as kindly to a sweet little homeless “I don’t know English.” Wildcard. That just wouldn’t do at all.

In the drawing silence, Toki had taken a cue to begin walking towards the door, eyes sad as the unsure-ness of the experience washed over his visible features, he was prepared to leave. 

“No no, God hang on sweetheart.” There it was, Abigail’s authoritative ' _Mother-Hen'_  tone that never used to be so characteristic of her. Abigail had paired the words with an extended palm, telling Toki to ‘Wait’. 

It worked. Toki complied, looking a little frightened as he froze in his spot. What a young tender heart this boy had. 

“Sit down.” Abigail’s words were rough, but she had a smile on her face and that fact allowed Toki to pick up on what she meant, this was apparent with the smile that rushed back to his features like a tidal wave, those pearly white of his flashing. The young man then sat down in the chair and by the time he’d met Abigail’s eyes he was beaming even bigger ( If this was even possible ) as he uttered multiple quick “Oh! Thank you!”s.

“Here’s what we’ll do.” Abigail smiled at Toki. “You and me will fill out a fake survey, I’ll make up fake answers-“ Though this was perhaps enough to get her in a lot of trouble, she highly doubted the fact that she would ever get caught. 

Toki bobbed his head up and down quickly, eager to comply wether or not he understood what was going on.

“Everyone’s been ditching today anyway, plus you’re fun to talk to.” Abigail smiled, beginning to write down random ‘Joe-Schmoe” facts and figures on the paper, it really wasn’t that difficult at all. This statement seemed to make Toki happy, but he also didn’t seem to be able to process the kindness of her words- because he turned his head and looked to the floor and his skin lit up a few shades. 

Silence. A few moments of silence and Abigail had already had enough.  

“So, Toki- where are you from?” Abigail rose the question softly, but coherently to be sure the other understood her words. Abigail looked up to Toki from her writing. It seemed that the young boy had simply been scooting his heels on the floor until she’d asked, but now his bright blue eyes were rested on hers and she almost felt intimidated.

“Ams froms Norge-“ He uttered an “Oh!” And extended a hand “Ams from _Norways”_ Toki spoke it slowly and clearly, he was proud of his translation.

"Norway!" Abigail exclaimed, looking back down to the paper as she finished up the short answers. "God, you're far from home- what brought you over here?"

There was a bit of silence on Toki's part, and when the silence drew on to become awkward Abigail looked back up from the paper, wanting to be sure that it wasn't a translation error that had landed the awkward silence. Abigail found Toki's eyes downcast, and his lips were tucked inwards as though he were in a great deal of pain and stress. 

"Toki?" Abigail called the other's name softly, she slightly regretted not treating the other with a little more caution, he was a wild card- she couldn't profess to know anything about this boy's well-being. "I'm sorry, you don't have to answer that." 

"Runnings away from some bad things." Toki looked up into Abigail's eyes and for a moment the finite nature of his words hit her. "Some bads monsters over there."

The burning desire to press on almost made her choke, Abigail desperately wanted to know what it was that waited for him over there, what it was that had driven him to America which required him to live in such a way that even food was a scarce entity- one that required Toki to subject himself to THIS sort of thing to feed himself. America wasn't always a good place, and there were people out there who would take advantage of Toki- this scared Abigail, but it didn't scare her as much as what led Toki to that subjectification. 

"I understand." Abigail's lips straightened as she finished the worksheet. "I'm finished now and you can grab whatever it is that you want from the pile over there-" 

Toki's mood had immediately lightened as he nodded to her and stepped over to the stash of food, he'd begun stuffing his pockets again and this time Abigail intended to press him for just one more thing-

"Toki?" Abigail started.

"Yeps?"

"Do you have a place to sleep? It's going to start getting cold at night. Are you... Safe?" Abigail whispered, though the best she could have done for Toki in the instance of him NOT being safe was to drive him to a homeless shelter in 'God only knows where' land.

Toki smiled quickly as he bit into a protein bar "Oh! Yeps I does, thanks yous." Though the lack of depth to his answer and the obvious state of his homelessness didn't make Abigail feel too confident int he answer.

Toki left with a wave, trying to keep his things from tumbling out of his armed grasp, and Abigail watched him leave, still waving to him even when he'd long since turned around.

 Abigail hoped Toki would show up tomorrow. 

 

* * *

 

 **Sure enough** , the next day Toki showed up right on time just as Abigail had hoped, he had become the one dependent factor in this chaotic college kid dependent schedule. This time she waved him in with a wink and a smile "Ah, my favorite customer!" she'd chimed, and Toki had taken it with an amused giggle and a small snort and then he flashed her that beautiful smile she'd grown to love. Toki sat down and this time without even pondering over it she began the process of fabricating another survey. 

Abigail asked Toki how he'd been and he'd responded with a sweet little _"Oh mans I'ms doings good!"_ Though she'd soon caught on to the growing theme of there never being much depth to his answers. 

By the time the survey was finished Abigail clicked the pen and balanced her chin on her palms. "Alright Toki so I have a proposition for you-" She drew out her words.

Toki was all ears as his mouth opened ever so slightly in the eagerness to serve Abigail's attention. "Oh! Yes yes whats is it?" 

Abigail would never get tired of his pure, ready to learn eagerness, something she feared would be taken advantage of if Toki came across the wrong people "I'm going to give you this-" Abigail pulled out a white paper bag, she'd picked it up an hour previous in hopes of Toki stopping by. "It's a nice big barbecue sandwich, theres fries and a drink in here too, I'm going to give this to you in exchange for some simple promises on your part."

Toki seemed shocked, his eyes were wide as they remained locked on the bag she was handing him. As though his brain could not process what was happening. 

When Toki failed to produce an answer, Abigail pressed on. "I'll give this to you, if you simply promise to call me if you ever need help-" Now Toki's eyes were on her, and in his bright gaze was something close to confusion.

"I know you said you have a place to sleep, but if you don't or if you ever find yourself in a place where you don't,  I want you to promise me you'll get some help either from me or from someone else. Alright? Just because you've escaped your monsters doesn't mean you have to create new ones over here as a result." Abigail wrote her phone number on the white paper bag and then when Toki didn't reach out to grab the bag she smiled and sat the bag on the desk. 

Abigail doesn't even have a free second to blink before Toki is completely broken down with sobs. The brunette crumpled forwards in his chair as though deflated and instantly placed his palm over his forehead as tears flooded down his cheeks in an endless desperation of emotion. It was such a change from the pure child-like smiles and laughs and the artificial answers she'd been batted away with previous on Toki's end. Now Toki was absolutely in shambles. Abigail stood from her seat quickly and ran to his side, pressing a hand on his back and trying not to lift her nose at the fact that he truly did smell terrible this close up to the distressed boy. 

"Thanks yous-" Toki squeezed out in labored exhales, his entire body was trembling as he tried to collect his breathing. "Nobodies ever-" Toki fell into some more hyperventilating and Abigail 'shushed' Toki, fearing for his health if he got anymore worked up. 

Abigail's mouth fell open while she rubbed Toki's back, he didn't need to continue- Abigail reasoned that this young man had never been shown kindness in his entire life. Anyone who burst into tears because of such an act truly hadn't been subjected to any kindness.

Moments passed and Toki had finally collected himself; his face was red and puffy in the end and he looked absolutely exhausted as he finally took the white bag. "Ams sorries I didn't means to do thats." Toki seemed embarrassed at his weakness, though it was always awkward when life led you to breaking down in front of total strangers. 

"Don't mention it Toki- but promise me you'll always come to me when you need help." 

Toki nodded, and waved to her as he left. Toki's smile wasn't as big as it had been in the past, but somehow Abigail cherished this smile above the others.

 

* * *

 

 **It continued on like that for a whole week**. Expecting Toki to continue to drop in like he was led Abigail to begin reserving time-slots just for Toki. 

To Abigail's joy, Toki always showed up ON THE DOT, even usually a few minutes early with that same smile and eagerness about him, he'd become someone to hope for- someone to wonder about even to care for in a way in Abigail's life. Abigail had learned a bit about the young man's life, though Toki still tended to stick to answering some of the more difficult questions with answers that lacked much more than a little depth.

When she was finished talking  with him and her fake survey was filled Abigail always let Toki part with a new white bag filled to the brim with some kind of meal. Abigail's favorite part of the matter remained to be that Toki always looked extra surprised when she handed the bag to him, as though these acts of kindness were not an obligation, but always an equally surprising and generous spontaneous decision. This was yet another looking glass into the pure-ness of this young one's soul. 

And every time Toki left Abigail never failed to remind him "If you ever need help, please find me. I'll always be here to help you." 

Then came the eighth day of the experiments. After a few of her scheduled participants it was Toki's time to come. Abigail was prepared, her mood as lifted and her eyes were shimmering as they rested on the door. Toki was to show up soon and this time around she was going to press further and really find out how Toki's living situation was. 

Three minutes until Toki's designed appointment and he hadn't shown up. This wasn't super unusual, technically he was still slightly early.

_A minute after the appointment. Still no Toki,_

_Five minutes pass. No Toki._

Frightened and extremely uncomfortable with the lack of a presence, Abigail finished the day swallowing the lie that maybe Toki would show up, perhaps late.

He didn't.

 _A day passed and another day._  

Abigail had grown to think that something terrible had happened to Toki.

There wasn't a sight of Toki to behold, not even a word as the experimenting finally neared close. But then, finally the very last day that the research was to be collected dragged on; and Abigail had stepped into the classroom that morning to find a small note left on her desk. 

_"Thanks yous so much fors whats you've dones, I don'ts thinks I'll ever forgets. I thinks everythigns ams goings to bes okays now, and I don'ts needs you to buys me foods anymore._

_Love, Toki"_

Abigail smiled at the note. Wondering deep down in her heart if she would ever come across little Toki ever again.  _  
_

* * *

_Years Later_

 

 **All that matters** is they're home now and what happened at the hands of that masked assassin was in the past. Toki seemed to have taken the worst end of the torture, and this was apparent from the rage Magnus had in turn driving him to kidnap the two of them in the first place, a sense of misjustice that Magnus had felt he needed to constantly taken out on the rhythm guitarist. That being said, the whole ordeal had still shocked Abigail, and her typical calm and collected exterior had taken a momentary blow. 

Abigail had done what she usually did in situations like this and she'd retracted. Abigail bore herself in her room to suck the venom out, to rid herself of pain, to earn her own sense of catharsis and to forget the coldness of the sharp iron against her skin, to forget the screams and the countless days, weeks, months at the hands of her aggressor. 

Abigail idly wondered if there was even a chance at normalcy again, would she ever be able to leave a house without wondering if she'd see him- Magnus again, despite his death, despite the safety she could now afford. Abigail truly didn't think she'd ever feel safe again. 

Just as her thought came to an end there was a knock at the door. Abigail's eyes widened and she felt repulsed with the fear that she felt,

"Who is it!?" She called quickly, sounding a little more frightened than she wanted to sound.

"It's Toki!" Toki called back through the door, and suddenly Abigail had risen to her feet so fast she felt the blood almost drain from her head. Abigail opened the door and immediately smiled upon seeing Toki, standing there, though he probably shouldn't have been. he was still ill and probably should have been resting.

"Toki." Abigail smiled fondly at her old friend. 

Toki smiled and reached forward to give her a hug, this was the first hug they'd had since being back and it made Abigail feel so wonderfully warm and slightly at ease, what a blessing this kid had been in her life.

"Abigail." Toki pulled away, and began with what Abigail assumed the reason he'd come there in the first place. "If you ever need help, please find me. I'll always be here to help you."

Now it was Abigail's turn to cry. 

 

 


End file.
